I came across a great article today on MarkBrumley.com that talks about an ingenious use of social media to bridge the tech/classroom divide: using it to jumpstart the discussions in your classroom. Basically, you get students talking about a topic by announcing it the night before and having students (for homework) participate in an online discussion ... then you take that discussion into the classroom in real time.
Read the blog post on MarkBrumbley.com, then come back and share your thoughts on this cool technique.
Cool Idea
It sounds like a great idea, but like any technological advancement, it can be abused. Watch out for cyberbullying and harrassment when using social media.
a Comment
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Very interesting idea
Personally, I have never tried this idea, but the tech teacher at my school uses a Wikispace and does this kind of thing. He generates all kinds of discussions. One downside is having to police the comments and material posted.
Thanks for the comment,
Thanks for the comment, Stacey!
I have set my account
I have set my account settings to auto-subscribe. I will go to a different forum and try that out!
As a current student I use
As a current student I use plenty of online discussions to help communicate with other students and the teacher. Often online web spaces, like wiki's, allow the student to access all kinds of course material such as the syllabus, PowerPoints, etc. Having this kind of page really put responsibility on the student's shoulders considering all the material they need can be found online. Also, websites such as facebook, blackboards, etc. have allowed me to communicate well with other students. Anytime we have group work we can "meet up". I have found this to greatly improve group productivity and communication. Group documents can typically be uploaded to these spaces as well wich only improves the group. Overall, I definitely recommend using online discussions and other social media.
Thanks
Hi, Mr. Cross. Thanks for the information. It seems that you are really in tune with the lastest technologies and happenings. Kudos to you.